Game of Thrones | End of Thrones
If you’re peering into the future, trying to see the face and form of the one who ends up on the iron throne, you’re not alone. For the past eight years, Game of Thrones has been daring us to guess, gamble, and gripe about whose butt is going to land the final perch on all of those swords. By and large, we’re led to believe that one of the characters (hopefully our favorite) will win the aforementioned game…
…But George R.R. Martin and the show writers are smarter than that. Like brilliant illusionists, they have us looking in the wrong direction. Most viewers are so caught up thinking about the winner that they’re not bothering to consider the ending.
How Could it End?
Bringing an end to such an epic story in a way that satisfies all fans will be nigh-impossible. Even finding a way to win over the majority of viewers will be a bastardly battle. There’s so much hype, so much excitement, how can the writers possibly pay this whole mess off by stenciling a new name on the Iron Throne parking space?
To educate our crystal ball, we’ll have to look at previous pop-culture showdowns. It may be blasphemous to mix all of these titles into a single blog post, but it must be done.
Who won in Freddy vs. Jason? What about King Kong vs. Godzilla? Aliens vs. Predator? (Hint: We all lost.)
Theory: Everybody Loses
These clashes are never about the winners. Yes, GoT is much more complex than A vs. B. It’s also just one franchise, not two pitted against one another. There are differences to the formula, but the writers still have the same job: To entertain you.
So, let’s say you’re having some friends over for board game night. What’s the more entertaining ending? One player moving their pawn or point-tracker to the end and shouting “I win,” or seeing that guy you invited out of obligation get so mad that he flips the board off the table?
This game won’t have a winner. It will be broken in a way that no one can ever play it again. I’m not talking about the “everyone dies” scenario. After all, when that guy flips the board off the table and sends pieces clinking to the floor, the players are still standing around in awkward silence, wondering if its too late to get a quick Settlers of Catan in.
Break the Game = Win the Game
To break this game, there’s only one thing we have to do: Break the throne.
How will it break? I don’t know. Fire? Maybe ice, or something? I wouldn’t be surprised to see the ol’ Breaker of Chains saying one final “Dracarys” before her pets melt the throne down to slag. Better yet, maybe the giant will return, totally fine and wearing a trendy eye patch, and hurl the chair into Blackwater Bay. Whatever happens, it will be significantly less comfortable to sit on.
Comment with your theories!
Tim Attewell is a Science Fiction Author, Celebrity Biographer and Ghostwriter living in Los Angeles, CA. His books can be found on Amazon *here*